Dr.
Peter Wasilewski is an Astrophysicist in the Astrochemistry Branch of the Laboratory
for Extraterrestrial Physics at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Peter
holds science degrees from George Washington University and the University of
Tokyo. His research areas are rock magnetism, planetary magnetism, and meteorite
magnetism. Prior to working at NASA he held positions at the U. S. Geological
Survey, and George Washington University. He is an active speaker at national
and international conferences, and is recognized for his work on a variety of
satellite geomagnetic research projects including MAGSAT, Mars Global Surveyor,
and NEAR. Peter is also an avid photographer and has invented a unique way to
photograph ice crystals which he has dubbed FRIZIONs.
In October of 1998 Peter was part of the first expedition to the Itturalde
Crater at the edge
of the Amazon rainforest and organized and obtained
funding for the Itturalde
Crater Expedition. The design of this expedition is integral
with the Teacher as Scientist program he developed with the Goddard
education office.
His
research has resulted in 88 papers with Wasilewski as primary or significant
contributing author. Wailewski was also the recipient of the Antarctic Service
Medal from the National Science Foundation for his Antarctic service and has
even had an Antarctic mountain named after him.
Specific research accomplishments include:
•
Suggested the correlation between magnetic properties and spectral signature
of the principal meteorite groups.
• Magnetochemistry of the lunar surface - correlating magnetic properties
with chemistry and remote spectral reflectance.
• Magnetic hysteresis classification of lunar samples.
• Pioneered the use of free fall (zero "g") solidification in
the production of FeNi spheres and determination of magnetic properties for
these analog materials.
• Pioneered the use of gas gun shock experiments to study magnetization
associated with shock impact using unique copper (iron) alloys to characterize
the influence of first-order shock induced transformations. Established the
characteristics of the TMRM mechanism.
• Pioneered use of Xenoliths and crustal sections to infer magnetic structure
of continental lithosphere and in particular established the MOHO as a probably
magnetic boundary.
• Development of magnetic petrology as a subdiscipline in support of MAGSAT
interpretation.
• Developed the MAGPLANE for Iturralde crater verification via magnetrometer
survey
Dr.
Peter Wasilewski is an Astrophysicist in the Astrochemistry Branch of the Laboratory
for Extraterrestrial Physics at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Peter
holds science degrees from George Washington University and the University of
Tokyo. His research areas are rock magnetism, planetary magnetism, and meteorite
magnetism. Prior to working at NASA he held positions at the U. S. Geological
Survey, and George Washington University. He is an active speaker at national
and international conferences, and is recognized for his work on a variety of
satellite geomagnetic research projects including MAGSAT, Mars Global Surveyor,
and NEAR. Peter is also an avid photographer and has invented a unique way to
photograph ice crystals which he has dubbed 
